Living In Her Shadow
by TheLabyrinth'sQueen
Summary: Nikki is sick of living in her mother, Sarah's shadow!One day, a blue worm comes to take her away to the Labyrinth, to bad he mistook her for Sarah! Can Nikki find a way to break free of her mothers shadow, or is she doomed to disapear into them...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Past

_Nov. 3rd Nikki, Age Seven:_

"_You know," Jarry said with a mischievous smile towards Nikki, "Downstairs in the basement there's a wrapped up mirror from when your mom was a kid. If you look into it and call for friends, magical creatures will appear…"_

"_Really?" Nikki asked excitedly staring up with sparkling eyes at her special playmate, Jarry._

"_Really," he said with an endearing smile and a knowing look._

"_Will Jarry be sad if Nikki looks now?" Nikki asked her friend guiltily. If it would make him sad, then despite her new curiosity, she could wait._

_Her friend gave another smile, "I will not be sad, dearest Nikki, now please, go and enjoy," he said giving her a small, gentle push towards the door. She smiled at him, her eyes lighting up at the new adventure, and gave him a big hug. She waited for him to hug back before running through the door and bounding to the garage._

_When she got there she found the mirror almost instantly, propped against the back wall. She tugged at the brown paper but couldn't break through the heavy tape._

"_Jarry, Nikki needs help!" Nikki whispered quietly to herself, and like magic the tape and paper fell away to the floor. _

"_Thank-you!" Nikki said to the air of the garage, before peering into the mirror._

"_Friends?" she asked, after seeing nothing but the garage in its depts. suddenly, a big hairy beast, a dwarf, and a fox-dog thing appeared._

"_Sarah!" they all cried happily. Nikki looked at them confused and shook her head._

"_Sarah's my mommy! I'm Nikki, who're you?" She asked the mirror with a smile. They all looked at her uneasily._

"_H-how did you find this mirror, little girl?" the dwarf asked._

"_Jarry told Nikki, do you want me to get mommy for you? Nikki'll show her you!" She said excitedly, running off and dragging her mother back into the garage._

"_Mommy, the magic's know you! Nikki shows you!" Nikki said with a smile. When she got back, she smiled at the three still in the mirror._

"_Sarah!" they chorused, all smiling brightly. Nikki watched something pass on her mothers face, something she couldn't understand, before she looked down at her._

"_I don't see anything Nikki; play times over, time to eat…"_

_Sarah then took the brown paper and recovered the mirror, before pulling a protesting Nikki into the kitchen and making her lunch. _

_The next time Nikki went back to look into the mirror, it had vanished, as though into thin air… _

Eight Years Later:

"'Allo," came a voice from nowhere. Nikki paused her tirade over her hair to stare at nothing in particular as she contemplated whether she had really heard anything at all. Nikki pulled her hairbrush from her hair with a final yank and gave her room a searching look with a raised eyebrow. Nothing was out of the ordinary, she was still the only one here, yet she could have been sure she had heard a voice!

"'Allo!"

There it was again! Nikki slammed the brush down and gave her room a hard stare. She was the only living creature here, except her black cat, Apollo. She gave the sleeping cat a suspicious look before crouching down next to the slumbering feline.

"Did you say hello?" she asked the cat seriously, though her voice held amusement at the obvious answer.

"No I said 'allo,' but that's close enough," Nikki jerked away from the voice with a gasp, it had come from right next to her!

She stared at the windowsill with wide eyes. Sitting on it was a worm, a blue worm, a blue worm with a red scarf! Nikki gaped at the worm openly; her mouth opening and closing soundlessly, completely and utterly dumbstruck did not even begin to cover it. Was it possible that the worm just talked?

If so, she had just met a magical worm! Her eyes suddenly shown with stars as she stared down at the magical creature. A huge smile crossed her face as she leaned in for a better look.

"You're a worm aren't you?" she asked breathlessly, her eyes sparkling.

"That's right," it answered with a smile. The worm had smiled!

"What are you doing here?" she asked, not that she minded, not in the least, actually. Sure, she had never expected her magical experience to involve a worm, but she was not complaining. She suddenly had something magical, something magical all to her own! Something real, not in a book, not in her head, real, solid, true.

"We need you Sarah, the king and his Labyrinth's in trouble!"

A disappointment so crushing that Nikki literally fell to her butt washed over her. Of course, how could she have ever been so stupid? Her mother always stared at her in a knowing, pitying way whenever she spoke of fantasy things. She should have guessed her mother had something to do with this; her mother was perfect in every way, so why should she not be magic too? She was an actor, a visionary, everything Nikki wished to be. Yet with her near identical looks to her mother, and her one less than perfect speech impediment, she was always cast aside.

"I-," Nikki stared at the little worm soberly, her face had fallen from its elated state to that of despair, "I'm not Sarah. I'm her daughter, Nikolaia."

Nikki sighed as she reached forward to grab the worm, "Call me Nikki, I'll take you to Sara-"

"-Watch me tail now, will ya!" the worm called thrashing its tail away from her outstretched hand, "If you touch that seal, you'll be transported to the Labyrinth!"

Nikki stared at the little thing with shocked, wide green eyes, not expecting the outburst. Slowly, she tilted her head to the side and carefully examined the very end of his tail. In black, an intricate, almost tribal looking drawing had been placed on the little tip of his tail. If he had not mentioned it, she never would have noticed such a small mark. She would be quite impressed if someone had actually done it by hand.

"Sorry, I'll be careful," she told him, grabbing him around the middle and placing him in the open palm of her hand.

"Be careful," she warned him, nodding to his tail, as she headed for her door and shut it behind her. The blue worm nodded his head and kept his tail poised high as she stomped down the stairs.

"Mom!" you have major explaining to do!" Nikki yelled as she reached the bottom step. Nikki heard her mother's exasperated sigh all the way from the kitchen.

"I already told you that Jean left those cigarettes here last night!" Sarah huffed, walking into the living room where her daughter had just entered.

"Oh no, not that at all, I know you're a freaking addict! What I meant was something from a lot longer than one night ago. On the other hand, who knows? Maybe all those late nights with Jean were really you sneaking off to the Labyrinth!" Nikki remarked sarcastically, swishing herself back and forth, as she made each new stabbing point towards her mother...

Sarah's eyes went wide with shock. She shook her head dumbly, hoping to elude the inevitable. She knew her daughter would not quit until she knew the truth, but maybe if she worked fast she could fool her a little longer…

"You can't fool me," Nikki practically read her mother's mind. Sarah gave her a startled glance and Nikki's eyes narrowed.

"I have proof it exists, so tell me what you know about it," Nikki said with a half-hurt, half-angry look at her mothers denial. Her mom knew her secret longing for magical things. Her room could be a magical haven for passing mystics if one would just show their face! Then again, her mother was good at keeping things secret; she kept her hidden lover secret for five years before dad found out. Before daddy left Nikki forever…

"Nikki I- I really have no clue as to what you're talking about, I-"

"-No clue? No clue! If you have no clue than how do you explain this!" Nikki shouted shoving her hand forward and brandishing the blue worm straight under her mother's nose. How dare she deny her knowledge when she so obviously was involved!

Sarah couldn't see exactly what was shoved under her nose; she could only tell that it was blue and red. She backed a step away to get a proper look and gasped at the smiling, tiny blue worm.

"'Allo' Sarah, mighty good too see you again!" the little worm beamed, "Your daughters your spittin image, swore she was you for the longest!"

Sarah tried to speak, but words failed her. For fifteen years, Sarah had managed to keep the Labyrinth a secret from Nikki. The last time she had seen anyone from the Labyrinth was the day Nikki was born, and she had invited Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Dydimus to see her. After that, Sarah tearfully broke all connections with the Labyrinth. She even went so far as to hide her vanity mirror in the garage, wrapped up so that no one could look in-

-or out.

"Mom-"Nikki couldn't finish her sentence. She was so hurt that her mom could keep something like this from her, obviously, there was more to this than just a talking worm. Nikki wanted to know it all.

"Nikki I-"Sarah started, and then faltered. This tiny blue worm had memories rushing back to her at the speed of light. Suddenly, she was light-headed, and she fell back into the couch. Nikki glared at her and plopped down next to her.

"Explain, now!" she commanded.

Sarah gave her a pleading look, praying she would understand. She recoiled at her daughter's hardened stare, and shrunk into the couch.

"Nikki… When I was fifteen, I wished the goblins would take your uncle Toby…and they did."

Nikki stared at her mother in horror, "How could you wish uncle Toby away!" she cried appalled. Uncle Toby was one of her favorite people in the world, the only one who ever believed in the magic she did. How could her mother have been so cruel?

"Nikki, please! I was angry and young; besides, I didn't mean to do it. It was an accident!" Sarah defended herself; she really had not meant to send him away.

"When they took him I met the Goblin King, and he said if I could get through the Labyrinth in thirteen hours, I could get Toby back. Well I did, and we both left safely, I kept in touch with the friends I made until you were born, then I broke my connection to the Labyrinth. I didn't want what happened to me to happen to you; I wanted you to be normal, to find something real to go after. Quite ironic that you became everything I wanted to stop you from becoming…"

Sarah's eyes had become glazed and far away. Nikki stared at her for the very first time with a fiery hatred.

"So it was all a lie? The things I used to see in that mirror weren't my imagination. They were real! How could you lie about that! How could you?" Nikki accused her mother viciously.

Sarah's far away eyes came to rest slowly on her fuming daughter, "If I told you they were real, what would you have done? Called them here? Better yet, would you have called the Goblin King himself? Nothing good can come from him, only pain and suffering, he stole your uncle, Nikki!"

"You asked him too!" Nikki retorted on her mother, "You asked him and he came through for you! It's not his fault you slipped up, and it's not fair I have to suffer because of it!"

"Suffered? When have you ever suffered from the Labyrinth?" Sarah asked her slowly.

"I told people what I saw in the mirror mom, and I told them about Jerry too! And never once did you back me up!" Nikki screamed standing up and almost dropping the blue worm, "Not once! Even though you knew it was all true!"

Sarah stared at her daughter in shock, "I know I lied about my friends, but I never lied about him. He really was an imaginary friend."

"Mom, the guy could lift me up and carry me around the room, he did it a lot!" Nikki said in a knowing manner, resisting the urge to yell again. Nikki would not lose this battle with her mother.

"It doesn't matter Nikki!" she turned her attention to the worm, "What matters is you go back and tell whoever sent you I cannot help you anymore, any of you. I've grown up, and I-"

Sarah took a deep breath, "I don't believe in you anymore!"

Nikki stared at her mom in horror, "Mom! They need your help, how can you say no?"

Sarah just shook her head, "You'll only get hurt if you get involved, Nikki. I'm still paying for it; I truly wish I'd never met the Goblin King."

She gave a bitter laugh as she walked to the stairs, "It's the only wish he wouldn't grant me…"

Then she slowly climbed up the stairs and Nikki heard her door click shut. Nikki stared where her mom disappeared in disbelief, how could she not help her friends? She looked down at the saddened worm on her palm and sighed. The worm looked up at her and shook its head.

"This is not good Nikki, the king needs Sarah's help, without her…" he cut of his sentence. As though the result of finishing it would be too horrible to bear. Nikki looked down at him sadly before her eyes traveled back up to her mother's door. She could clearly picture her mother hunched over her bed, trying hard to keep her composure before she broke down into a million tears.

Nikki's eyes narrowed, she had made her decision. She walked steadily up the stairs straight to her room where she locked the door. Quietly she set the tiny blue worm on her bed and giving him the 'one moment' finger, before going to her closet and pulling out her favorite shoulder-strap bag. Quickly she went around the room and pulled out two spare changes of clothes and under garments. Shoving them all in her bag, she crossed to her vanity dresser and pulled out her hairbrush and a few clips and ties. That done, she carefully snuck into the bathroom, grabbed her travel kit, and two rolls of toilet paper, before running downstairs quietly and grabbing three water bottles and some granola bars.

Nikki re-locked the door to her room and shoved everything she had grabbed into the remaining room of her bag. She pulled the front of her hair back in a clip and motioned to the silently watching worm to turn around. She changed into her favorite medieval-like shirt and a pair of jeans and her sneakers. At the last second, she grabbed the book she had been hiding under her bed and shoved it in her bag as well…

Three years ago, Nikki had found the book and discovered it to be a diary of her mothers when she was her age! An hour after finding it her mother had thrown a fit and went on a cleaning spree to find it; Nikki had thrown it on top of her dresser, where her mom could not see, and pretended to draw. Nikki still could not understand why she hid it from her mom, but she did, and she had yet to read it.

Nikki always knew it must contain something incredibly important and had never felt right about reading it. Now, with a sure guess as to its contents, she was ready to concur it from cover to cover. She turned to the worm, her bag slung over her shoulder with a fierce determination, and smiled.

"You sure you want to do this, your mum seemed pretty sure of herself…"

Nikki shook her head, "My mom can't help anyone, even if she wanted to. She's not strong enough mentally anymore, dad leaving really messed her up, and besides…"

Nikki smile soured, "Everyone says I'm Sarah's clone, I'm used to being in her shadow," her eyes suddenly sparkled as her look brightened.

"So I can handle taking over her job, and I promise to do it better!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay this is my first attempt at writing a fanfic. Please review and tell me what I can improve on, I know its kinda cheesy' Sorry, I'll try to do better chap.2!


	2. Chapter 2

KK peoples! Thank you so much to the two who reviewed me You guys rule! So here like I promised is chap.2, I really hope I wasn't too cheesy (goes to emo corner in shame, knowing she was to chessy) Please enjoy!

Chapter 2

**Nov. 8****th****, Nikki, age 7 **

"_Mommy Nikki bored! Can Nikki go play with Jarry now?" Nikki asked her mother from her spot next to the coffee table, shoving away coloring book. _

_Sarah looked down as Nikki with narrowed eyes, "Who's Jarry?"_

_Nikki shook her head suddenly, her eyes going wide, "No mommy! Jarry is Nikki's special friend, not yours!" _

_Sarah stared at her daughter questionably, "Sweetie, what is Jarry?"_

"_Jarry is Nikki's king mommy! Jarry always plays with Nikki whenever she wants!" Nikki beamed brightly, her mother didn't have someone to play with whenever she wanted. Jarry was hers, and he always would be._

_Sarah stared at her daughter with a slight fear. Was it possible that foul, sadistic bastard had actually…? _

_Sarah shook her head dismissively. However, if there might be a chance…_

"_You can play with him, but I want to meet him," she told her child sweetly._

"_No mommy! He won't come if your there! He says Nikki is his special friend so only Nikki gets to see him!" Nikki panicked, waving her arms if fear. If mommy came, Jarry wouldn't!_

"_What if I just listen outside the door? Then I won't see him and I'll know your safe," Sarah suggested with a smile, standing up and offering Nikki her hand. Nikki seemed to consider it for a moment before smiling, and taking her mothers hand in her own._

"_Okay! Jarry shouldn't mind that!" she said happily, dragging her mother up the stairs. Nikki let go of her mothers hand and waved goodbye before shutting the door to a crack and disappearing. Sarah watched her through the crack as Nikki ran to the center of the room and called out gleefully, "Jarry! Mommy says Nikki can play with you!"_

_Suddenly Nikki's attention turned behind her and she gazed for a second before laughing happily._

"_Nikki's so glad we can play!" she cried happily, waited a moment, and then nodded. Sarah nodded to, satisfied, Nikki had an imaginary friend, nothing more. With her mind at ease, she disappeared downstairs and back to the novel she had been reading…_

"_Jarry! Mommy says Nikki can play with you!" Nikki cried out gleefully. Nikki heard the familiar rush of wings behind her and turned around quickly. It was always fun to see him transform, and she laughed happily watching it._

"_Nikki's so glad we can play!" she said and Jarry nodded with a slight smile. He looked to his right and summoned a crystal showing her mom eavesdropping on them. Nikki nodded, and then watched her mom nod and walk away._

"_Sorry Jarry," she said guiltily, "Mommy would have come in if Nikki hadn't let her listen, and Nikki knew you wouldn't come if she was here!_

_Nikki's eyes were filling with guilty tears, Jarry smiled and swooped down, scooping her up into his arms and tickling her neck. Nikki laughed happily, her tears running freely as she gasped for breath._

"_No more of that!" he smiled down at her wiping away her tears with his gloved thumb. She smiled happily and hugged him tightly round the neck. She suddenly yawned unwillingly, and hid her mouth in her hands._

"_Nap time, is it? And I thought you wanted to play!" Jarry joked with a sad, knowing smile. Last night had been another all-nighter, playing and dancing and singing to distract her as her mother and father argued over this and that. _

"_I __**do**__ wanna play," she yawned again and said sadly, "now mommy __**and**__ daddy taking Jarry away from Nikki…"_

"_I'm not going anywhere," Jarry told her cradling her like a princess. _

"_Neither father nor mother can ever make me leave you, I'm yours, Nikki dearest," he lied. Six words and he would have to leave forever…_

"_Good, I don't want to be alone, don't ever leave me, Jareth!" she sighed out before her half-lidded eyes shut and she fell asleep in his arms. He stared at her, deep in thought at her words. She had surprised him, knowing his real name. She always called him __**'Jarry,'**__ she must have been incredibly serious to use his real name!_

_Nikki smiled in her sleep and Jareth did the same at her sleeping form. Sitting down on her rocker, he rocked them both softly and sang her favorite song quietly, "Dance magic dance. Jump magic jump…"_

"_Dance, magic, dance…" Nikki suddenly mumbled in her sleep, her smile growing. Jareth smiled down at the tiny girl. Unknown to her, she was making things __**far **__to complicated…_

**Eight Years Later**

Unknown to Nikki, she shimmered for a moment before fading out and disappearing completely. For her, the experience was a tingling warmth traveling through her body until it seemed her whole essence hummed. Then, without warning, it stopped, and she gasped at the sight before her.

She stood on a hill of sand and weeds, with large stones jutting out randomly. Below her stood tall and erect, a labyrinth, _the_ Labyrinth. She stared down it in wonder, soaking it all in. She pulled her camera out of its case-which she remembered right before touching Blue's tail- and snapped a picture. She studied it for a moment on the small screen, before closing it with a satisfied _snap._

That memory saved, she shoved the camera back in its case and half-jogged, half-slid down the sandy ledge. Almost tripping at the end of her slide, she quickly righted herself and walked forward to the giant wall before her. As far as she could see left and right, the outer wall of the Labyrinth continued in a curving way. Nikki sighed at the never-ending walls, without a better idea and with no help in sight; she spun around with her finger pointing straight, and chose her path.

Five minutes later and still there was neither a door nor crack in the wall to be found. Annoyance was gripping her as she vainly tried to climb up the decaying walls with the vines hanging off them. Rubbing her sore behind, she grumbled to herself and continued her trek to the left.

Suddenly, out of nowhere a hiss sounded behind her. Nikki twisted quickly, only to see a cat. Well, not really. Crouched on all fours and covered with thick, pure black fur, a cat-man regarded her threateningly.

Nikki gasped out a sudden, "Oh crap!" and while trying to take a step back tripped over a fallen branch, landing on her still sore behind once again. The cat-man hissed again and crawled forward gracefully, hovering over her with a deadly glare. He leaned over Nikki and her eyes widened, he was sniffing her.

"You are not from the underground," it purred, pulling away from her and sitting in a regal way. It regarded her as she slowly and shakily pushed herself up, hoping not to be whacked down again for insolence. The cat-man seemed not to care whether she sat or not though, as he inspected the claws of his right paw.

Nikki-now sitting up- stared at the cat fearfully, yet he seemed to have grown bored with her. He stretched out his back and curled into a ball, resting his head on his arm. He stared up at Nikki with a cold regard as he yawned lazily.

"_When ya get to the Labyrinth, ask whoever you meet, "Who is the ruler of the Labyrinth?" If they answer, "'Jareth, King of the Goblins.' Then they are friends and will help you, they say anything else, then be wary…"_

'Oh crap, that's right!' Nikki thought suddenly. How could she have forgotten something so important? She was here on a mission, not to sightsee; she had to help the king!

"You seem to be struggling with an inner turmoil, perhaps you forgot something important?" the cat-man suddenly spoke with a lazy tone. Nikki startled and quickly dropped forward to her knees.

"I'm Nikki, from above ground. Who is the ruler of this Labyrinth?" she asked quickly, breathlessly.

The cat stared at her with a knowing eye, "Nikki, of above ground, it is not wise to state such things under this new order. Jareth, King of Goblins is the true ruler of the Labyrinth, as sealed by his coronation. However, due to a mutiny, he is now nothing but a prisoner in an unknown oubliette…"

The cat yawned again, "I have replaced the dwarf Hoggle as gate keeper, and he too, occupies an oubliette after attempting to free the king. The new ruler believes me to be trustworthy, when in-fact, my loyalty is based on benefits I receive…"

Nikki stared at the cat-man in shock. She knew cats could be fickle and vain, but it did not make sense for him to be pro-Jareth if Jareth could do nothing for him in a cell…oubliette.

The cat's features turned in a knowing smirk, "My reasons are my own. The door is behind you, you will have to enter the Labyrinth and find the right oubliette on your own to find the king. Have fun, Nikki, of above ground."

"Wait! I thought the people with the answer were supposed to help me find the King!" Nikki cried at the disheartening news.

The smirk grew wider as he tilted his head up for a better view ever so slightly more, "My loyalty is to myself, be grateful for the door itself."

Nikki gave a defeated sigh, and in the time it took Nikki to stand up and startle at the sudden appearance of a giant door in the wall she had walked by, the cat-man had disappeared. Nikki looked around wildly for a moment, and then smiled; at least she had a way in!

"Thank you, um…" Nikki started to say aloud then realized she did not know his name.

"Onyx," another purr, this one from above her. Nikki looked up in time to see his tail disappear over the ledge.

"Thank you Onyx!" Nikki cried with a smile, before snapping a picture, and running into the open doors of the Labyrinth.

Her adventure had finally begun…

Nikki had been walking left for a good hour. Her reasoning being she would just be backtracking if she went right. She was incredibly irritable, especially when she tripped on a sudden log and ripped her favorite jeans. With a sigh, Nikki pulled her bag off and intended to slide down the wall for a breather; she never expected to slide through it.

"AAAHHH!" Nikki screamed as she launched backwards down a rough and bumpy rockslide. If she had not managed to flip herself over at the last second she would have snapped her neck landing on the solid stone ground. Nikki groaned as she lifted herself up and dusted off the powdered rock from her clothes.

"Oh crap," she said out-loud, as her eyes adjusted to the half-darkness of the room. If was solid stone, most of it was in shadow, only one measly light lit the place, and that was from what seemed like a round prison window on the roof. Nikki turned around, expecting to climb back up the shoot, and gasped at where she had slid down. The opening was gone! Nikki slid her hands fool-heartedly over the sealed stone before giving a cry of frustration.

"Oh crap! It's not fair!" she cried, her mother's expression unwillingly slipping past her.

Suddenly, through the blackness of the apparent oubliette, a low and amused voice spoke:

"And here I thought you finally had a new expression. What a pity, I was so looking forward to shooting the new one down as well…"

Nikki gasped and tried in vain to see the owner of the voice that had spoken. For the voice was one that she knew very, _very_ well. One she had spent countless, sleepless nights talking to as her parent's fought. Years of talks, plays, and hugs. For the voice belonged to the one she spent her childhood with. The one that had held her, spoiled her, even took her to his castle once!

"W-who is the ruler of the Labyrinth," Nikki spoke bitterly, with tears starting to bubble in her eyes. Even he had not recognized her; he thought her mother had added on to her famous expression. Disappointment, anger, and jealousy seeped through her like a parasite. Only now, after coming to the Labyrinth, it was destroying her much quicker than it ever had before.

Footsteps echoed off the stonewalls, the light was slowly filled and Nikki's tears broke free.

The smirk fell to shock as he stared down at her pitifully crying. Next, to that of sadness as he leaned down in front of her on one knee. He lowered his head and Nikki could here his sigh of regret as he unnecessarily spoke, "Jareth, King of the Goblins."

She tried to stop her tears, rubbing her nose roughly with her sleeve. Jareth waited patiently as he always had for her to control herself, and then spoke quietly, seriously, "You weren't supposed to come, Nikki."

Nikki looked at him with shock and fury, before crawling backwards, stopping only when she hit the wall. She looked at him angrily as she hissed out, "Mom refused to come! I know I'm not as good as the original, but at least _I_ believe in you."

The words hit there mark as his face twisted into that of anger and sorrow, "I never said you weren't as good as-"

"You didn't have too!" Nikki cut him off hatefully.

Not even Jarry was hers, he never was, "You bastard, you only came to me to see her!" Nikki accused him.

His face became stony, and it confirmed all her suspicions, "I never should have come, you can go die for all I care!"

"I am."

Nikki looked at him with a cold indifference, "Good."

He shook his head in defeat, and brought his hand to her face. She swatted it away, only to go right through it. She stared at his suspended hand with wide eyes, before they traveled to his face. She slowly moved her hand and ran it through his cheek, only to pull it back as though it burned.

"Your not really suppose to die, you jerk!" She screamed, as a new batch of tears broke free.

"I'm afraid I can't help it, you don't know what an oubliette is, do you?" he asked her knowingly.

"A-a c-cell?"

"It's a place you put people to forget them-

His mix-matched eyes met her emerald ones as he spoke, "-And I am being forgotten..."


	3. Chapter 3

Oh My God please please please don't be too angry with me the people who actually read my story! My computer basically blew up and we were just able to afford a new one! Sorry Sorry Sorry!!! Gomen Nasai!!! Please enjoy!!!(and critic,hehe)

**October 31****st****, Nikki age 10**

"_**Jarry!" **__Nikki screamed, sliding on the carpet of her room as she slammed the door shut behind her. She threw her school bag to the ground as she panted from the effort of running straight from school. Jareth appeared before her with a half-worried, half-amused look at her comically panting self._

_Nikki practically threw herself into his arms as he appeared, knocking the breath straight out of him, "Nikki, what in the Underground is wrong?" He asked in shock. Nikki had always been affectionate, but this was not like her. He could feel her shaking as he leaned down to hug her back. Could hear her starting to cry._

"_They said Jarry'd leave!" Nikki wept, "They told Nikki now that Nikki's ten you have to leave! Don't go Jarry! Don't leave Nikki!" she begged, holding him- if possible- tighter. _

_Jareth stared down at her in shock. How could anyone had known...?_

_How could anyone had known her mother had wished him away? Surely, Sarah had not spoken of it… Suddenly, Jareth knew exactly how it had gotten out. Sarah had indeed spoken of it, gloated that she had finally made her daughters imaginary friend go away._

_With a simple wish…_

_Jareth held her shaking body close, guilt flooding him. He did not want to leave her; he never wanted to leave her side. How could he let five years disappear into nothing?_

"_I would never leave you, dearest Nikki. I promise," he spoke his lie, feeling like nothing more than a lowly goblin solider. He moved his hand to the back of her head, bringing her closer to him. One spell, and her memory of him would dim, as though it was just a pleasant dream. Two spells, and she would forget him forever…_

"_Thank you," Nikki whispered into his chest, comforted by his arms around her. Her tears starting to subside with the relief of not losing her only friend._

"_Nikki does not know what she would do without Jarry," she said as her tears died away completely. _

_At those words Jareth faltered, his will broken, "Nikki, I would like to take you to visit my castle," he told her, releasing her._

"_Really?" Nikki asked excitedly. She had never been to the castle before._

"_Yes," Jareth said with a smile, and took her hand. _

_So it happened that Nikki finally got to see the castle in the underground._

_Jareth however… she never saw aboveground again._

Five years later

Nikki sobbed until her throat was sore and her eyes stung. She knew he had betrayed her, and that they had only met because of her mother. Yet she could not help weeping at the thought of losing her childhood friend. If it had not been for him, she would have grown up completely alone. She regretted everything she had said to him, of course she did. She had told him to die, and he was, if he were not, she would be fine. Unfortunately, it was not the case, and she was not.

While she cried, Jareth faced a dilemma of his own. For five years, he had been able to stop her tears, yet now when she needed him most, he could not even put a hand on her shoulder. What could he do for her now that he was disappearing? That was obvious, yet what would calm her in her situation? Should he sing something meant to sooth, or something to show her that he knew _her,_ and understood that she was not her mother?

"You remind me of the babe," he said quietly, sitting Indian-style and leaning in close to her.

Nikki hesitated for a moment; she knew what he was doing. Whenever she was angry or upset, he would do exactly this to make her smile. To make her forget. She refused to forget what he had done, but she could not pass up the chance to hear her favorite song again after so long.

"What babe?" she asked, her eyes peeking out above her arms.

"The babe with the power."

"What power?"

"The power of voodoo."

"Who-do?"

"You do."

"Do what?"

"Remind me of the babe!"

She laughed on queue, but it was dry and hollow. Like she had not done it for years and had forgotten how.

"Quiet!" he hushed her, "A goblin babe!..."

Nikki could not help the smile that crossed her face, so she hid it to the very bottom of her eyes with her arms. Jareth smirked at her with a knowing smile when he had finished his song. Nikki glared at him, making him laugh.

"Well, that _is_ a first! You've never glared at me before," he sent a smile Nikki's way as he moved to sit next to her.

"Well here's another, I hate you!" she told him, sounding much less angry than she had hoped. She sounded like a pouting schoolgirl from some stupid anime or soap opera.

He smiled at her, she could never lie to him before, and she still could not now. He leaned in closer to her, if he had been solid, he would have been leaning on her shoulder, and smiled brightly.

"Well I could never hate you, Nikolaia Angel, and I never shall."

Nikki's eyes widened as she watched him stand up. She felt her heart suddenly beat three times as fast as if should. Felt herself start to blush, and buried her head once more into her arms. What the Hell was happening? Why was she blushing? She could not answer herself, or rather, would not, and instead took to singing his lyrics in her head.

"Nikki dearest, do hurry, we must find a way out before sunset," Jareth told her looking behind her. He was a bit shocked at seeing her still hiding herself in her arms and asked, "Are you ill?"

'Yes!' Nikki screamed in her head as she raised her newly paled face towards him. She was blushing like some peasant before a king at Jarry! Jarry, who could never make her even dance for him, had her blushing with one sentence! Nikki thought for a moment, and realized she really _was_ just a peasant to him. He was the Goblin King.

Exactly! She suddenly realized how _different_ they really were and _it_ was affecting her being. Her whole being felt unworthy and so it reacted as it did!

'That's all,' she lied to hersef firmly.

Instead of voicing her thoughts though, (as if she would), she pushed herself up and said, "I'm fine, let's go," and followed him down the shadowed hallway.

They had been walking for a long time. Nikki's feet had begun to ache and she desperately needed a drink. As she began to reach for her water bottle, she started to ask Jarry if he wanted some.

She suddenly realized Jarry could not drink if he was intangible, and cut her sentence after, "Hey, Jar-," not wanting to hurt his feelings. It would not be kind to remind him he was disappearing, so she let her bag drop back and continued without a drink.

'Why should I be nice to him? He doesn't deserve it!' She thought before realizing Jarry had stopped walking. She could not stop herself in time and ended up halfway through him. She gasped and jumped backwards, tripping (once again) over nothing and landing on her bottom. At least her feet did not hurt anymore…

Jareth stared at her with a raised devil eyebrow, "Still as clumsy as ever, I take it you never became a dancer?" he inquired, not even bothering to bend. He could not help her anyway.

Nikki made an insensible remark under her breath, before picking herself up and wiping off her butt, again.

"Of course I never became a dancer!" She huffed, re-slinging her bag over her shoulder and marching past him briskly.

He caught up without a problem, his legs almost double in length to hers. He watched her sadly, knowing her mother had bluntly told her she was not suited for dancing and should stick to acting, something she was good at, instead of trying to better herself with dancing. Jareth had been quite shocked to hear Sarah be so cruel, especially to her daughter. After that, Jareth had made every attempt to get Nikki to dance that he could. He had even gone so far as to bring the Fiery Gang to dance with her in her room.

It had not worked, and Nikki had refused to dance since. If there was anything at all he could say he disliked about Sarah, it would be that she killed Nikki's spirit without even meaning too.

"You kn-"

"Why did you come?" Nikki broke Jareth off before he could even really begin.

"Pardon?" Jareth asked, with a sudden feeling of dread.

"Why did you come to me? Why didn't you go straight to mom?" Nikki said quietly. She did not realize she had moved closer to Jareth's ghost-like form as the shadows of the oubliette grew deeper.

Jareth did not answer. There was so much Nikki did not understand about everything that had transpired between him and Sarah that he did not know where to begin. Moreover, even if he did know where to start, he would never tell her his real reason for befriending her.

Never.

Jareth realize there was nothing he could say that would not hurt her. Absolutely nothing at all, so he said the only lie that would not hurt her the most.

"I was tired of her; I wanted to find someone new."

Nikki's eyes narrowed in suspicion, what he was saying made no sense.

"You were tired of Sarah, so you went to her clone?" Nikki asked him, disbelieving.

"I was tired of Sarah, so I went to someone completely different. You may be her daughter, but you are not Sarah," Jareth told her firmly.

Nikki scoffed openly, and Jareth's eyes narrowed, "Nikolaia Angel, if you do not stop this senseless pouting, I will be forced to leave you in the darkness!"

Nikki's eyes widened if fear, "You wouldn't," she squeaked out, looking up at him pleadingly. How dare he pray on her like this!

Jareth had forgotten just how much the darkness affected her in their time away from each other. He saw the fear fill her eyes, felt it suddenly thick in the air. He regretted his words instantly.

"No, I would never leave you alone, I promise" he told her, stopping and looking straight into her eyes. She did not seem comforted, she seemed ready to cry.

Nikki felt herself growing weaker and weaker as his words crashed over her. He was so arrogant, stupid, and idiotic! It took her a moment to fight off the tears, and she managed to speak, low and slow.

"You left me alone for five years, Jareth. And you promised not to leave me then, too…"


	4. Chapter 4

Well here's a second one to make up for my long absence! Please enjoy!(and critic)

**Jan. 3****rd****, Nikki, age 8**

"_Hiya Jarry! Were you lonely waiting for Nikki? Mommy made Nikki do homework downstairs; Mommy doesn't believe you help Nikki!" Nikki complained to her friend and she threw her book-bag to the ground by her door. She smiled at him lovingly, happy that she had not even needed to call him for him to be there._

_Jareth smiled down at the little child he now found himself going to entertain without even being summoned. He scooped her up into his arms and tickled her stomach as she gasped for him to stop._

"_Of course I missed you, Nikki dearest. Your mother is to grown up for her own good," he said with more disdain in his voice than he had meant to let out. Thankfully, Nikki was pulling on the collar of his shirt and did not notice._

"_Does Jarry want to play in the woods again? We can invite the firery's!" Nikki suggested suddenly, the idea bringing a large smile across her face. Jareth nodded his head and set her down, she smiled up at him before running down the stairs and to her mother._

"_Mommy, can Nikki go to the forest?" she asked her mother, hugging her legs. Sarah gave her a half-hearted smile and nodded._

"_Only for a little while, okay? Then you have to eat dinner," She told Nikki as she opened the back door and let her walk out._

"_Okay!" Nikki called happily running into the small wood that bordered her fence. She jumped over it, to excited to use the gate, and ran straight for the Firery's circle. They welcomed her happily and they danced around the fire one of them had lit. Nikki laughed as they threw their heads around and even saved one from landing in the fire, to which they were very grateful._

_After an hour or so, Nikki managed to pull Jareth around the fire and got him to dance with her as well. She laughed as the Firery's bumped into him and knocked him off course. Disrupting his solid dance moves. Long before Nikki was ready for it to end, her mother called for her, and she hugged everyone goodbye. _

_Her mother scolded her for the messy state she was in, and sent her to take a bath before eating. Nikki did so grudgingly and ate quickly. She asked to be tucked into bed early, and Sarah did so, after checking to make sure she did not have a fever. As soon as the door was shut, Nikki jumped out of bed and called for Jareth._

_She watched him change from owl to human with a smile, and hugged him happily._

"_I was just about to bed," he told her, sitting on her own._

"_Nikki sorry Jarry. Will Jarry sleep with Nikki 'stead?" she asked pleadingly._

"_I don't know, you did make me dance with those annoying Fiery…" he teased her, looking away as though considering. Nikki pouted and turned away; telling him he had fun dancing and he knew it._

_Jareth smiled at her pouting self and pulled her close tucking her head under his chin and leaning against the wall. Nikki sat there pouting, waiting. Finally, his breathing was slow and even, and she snuggled into his chest, smiling happily. Jareth hugged her tighter and laughed slightly as she squirmed and gasped._

"_Sweetest dreams, dearest Nikki," he blessed her, kissing her forehead before tucking it back under her chin._

"_Nighty-night," she replied with a sigh, closing her eyes, and smiling brightly._

**Seven years later**

Not knowing how to respond, Jareth just stared sadly at her. To tell her he was wished away by the very mother she already despised would be to tarnish Sarah's name forever. So he said nothing, and turned away from her hardened stare.

"The exit is here," he told her quietly, before climbing up the ladder and meeting the twilight. Nikki followed him silently, she had hit a cord with both of them, and so she squirmed under it guiltily. Ashamed of bringing such sorrow to them both. She lifted herself out of a giant, vine coved pot, and looked around.

Ten yards to her left there was a vast forest, dense and menacing looking. To her right, another ten yards off, was a river, flowing quickly. Surprisingly, the fast-flowing river looked safer than the forest…

Nikki stared at the rock Jareth had leaned against with hesitation. She was not sure she could stand being next to him after all this; at least, she should not have been able too. To her surprise, she walked next to him and sat down close to his side. She refused to look at him though, for some reason, suddenly just happy to be near him.

Jareth smiled slightly at the tiny smile crossing Nikki's own face. For the record, there was not a better place there could have been for them to enter.

"The Forest of Truth," he spoke with a knowing tone, "Opens you to the truth within you."

"Even the truth you try to suppress," he added with a knowing smirk.

Nikki made a pouty face, pursing her lips for a moment, before it grew into a smile. She looked up at him, her eyes shinning and proclaimed:

"I hate you!"

Jareth laughed full-heartedly, Nikki joining in a second later. It was true she hated him for leaving her, but there must have been a good reason. He had taken her to his castle after all, something he said he would never do. He had taken her to there to make up for leaving her. It was not enough, and she would get her answers, but for now, she was happy just to laugh with her boyfriend again.

…

'**Boyfriend?!!!' **Nikki screamed in her head, her laugh cutting short as she had a mini-panic attack. What the hell had she just thought of Jarry as her boyfriend for?! **Jarry**, for Christ's sakes!

"Are you ill again, dearest?" Jareth asked Nikki again as she seemed to panic. He could only guess the forest had awakened her to a truth she did not want to believe.

"N-no! Nikki fine!" Nikki squeaked out, her mind too shaken to convert third-person into first-person. Jareth smiled lovingly at her as she tightly wrapped her knees in her arms and hid her face as it burned. He had realized the truth about how much he had really missed her.

"Alright then, get some rest, Nikki dearest, we set out tomorrow," he told her smiling, as he lay down and used the rock's edge as a pillow. Nikki nodded in her knees. When she finally lifted her head again, night had fallen, and Jareth was asleep.

Nikki stared down at him with-unknown to her- the same loving smile he had given her, 'He's so handsome,' she thought dreamily to herself.

Needless to say, Nikki had another anxiety attack and ran to the rivers edge, the farthest away she could get from the forest. She stared at her distorted image in the rushing water with a crazed expression. What the Hell was going on? How could she having these thoughts about Jarry?

"The foressst appearsss to have quiet the affect on you…" a voice spoke with a hiss.

Nikki looked up quickly and squeaked at the sight of a snake. Not just any snake, a **big**, snake. A snake whose head was twice the size of her own, with a body just as thick. Its thick body wrapped around a branch dipping into the water, though Nikki sensed it would not need the branch to stay in place, and that it was just a lazy retreat. The snake appeared to smile at Nikki's reaction.

"The foressst affectsss beingsss differently. Sssome are treated with twiccce asss much power asss othersss…" the snake told her with the same knowing tone, "Do you fear what you realizzze?"

Nikki stared at the snake with wide eyes, before nodding slowly.

"N-Nikki does, she doesn't want her thoughts to be hers…," she told the snake slowly, quietly.

The snake nodded in understanding, "Sssometimesss, what we wisssh not to underssstand, are the thingsss we **mussst** know."

Nikki nodded her head, pretending to understand, before she got an idea.

"Excuse me," she asked, "who is the king of the Labyrinth?"

The snake looked at her Nikki with a sudden confusion, "The king…? We have only a…"

Suddenly he stopped, and something snapped into remembrance. He slowly tilted his head away from Nikki, and transferred his gaze to Jareth.

"I sssee. Ssso he isss, and you are…" The snake turned back to her, "Jareth isss the King of the Labyrinth!"

Nikki nodded happily; she had gotten another to believe in Jarry! Hopefully, soon everyone would remember him, and he would be solid again.

Nikki suddenly shivered at the memory of walking through Jareth. She shook it away, forcing it out of her head. No way would she let Jareth stay that way! Suddenly, she realized the snake had said something odd.

"Excuse me, but _what _exactly _is_ Nikki?" She asked with a puzzled expression.

The snake did not answer. Instead, he turned his head upward, looking past her shoulder. Nikki gasped as she felt a hand lay on her shoulder. She jerked away in surprise and twisted around. Staring down at her with a smile was Jareth. He leaned down and touched her face, and did not go through it!

"Jarry's solid again!" Nikki cried happily, grabbing his hand and hugging it. Jareth's smile grew as he picked her up and hugged her to him.

"I thank you, Nikki dearest, were one step closer to making me real again," he told her, looking down with a smile.

"My king," the snake suddenly spoke as he bowed his head.

"I thank you as well, serpent," Jareth told the snake, his face suddenly hardened, "I ask that you remind those in the river of my title."

The snake nodded, "I ssshall do that, my king. I promissse the river at leassst will remember the Goblin King. Farewell," and with that the snake disappeared under the water with not so much as a ripple.

"Wait! What is Nikki?!" Nikki shouted as she pulled slightly away from Jareth as she looked in vain for the snake in the rushing water. Jareth pulled her back next to him as she gave up her search, the snake was long gone. Nikki gave an annoyed grunt, which made Jareth laugh at her un-lady ness.

"Don't laugh at Nikki! Snake said you were something- the king. He said that Nikki was something too! What did he mean?" Nikki huffed at him, to curious to blush at their closeness.

Jareth raised an eyebrow, pretending to be amused, "I'm sure he just meant that you are the one to save me, nothing more Nikki dearest. Now come to bed," Jareth commanded slightly with another smile. Nikki gave him a skeptical stare, but followed anyway. Not that she had a choice; Jareth had her gripped around the waist. Jareth led her back to the rock he had been leaning against, and sat them down, "I'm afraid it I use my magic now, I will be a ghost before morning. I hope you don't mind the ground," he explained to her leaning his head against the rock. He opened his arms wide in a welcoming way as she stared down at him.

"Jarry wishes!" Nikki forced herself to say as she turned her back on him and curled up in a ball. The dang forest was sending the worst possible thoughts to her and she was starting to hate her decision when she felt an arm wrap around her waist. Nikki gasped and twisted around to stare at Jareth with wide eyes. What was he doing? She could get him on a pedophile charge for this (not that she would). More to the point, Jareth was holding her!

"Growing up certainly changed you, you used to pout and refuse to sleep until I held you," Jareth said from behind closed eyes. Nikki stared at him, her cheeks burning.

"N-Nikki's had many years to practice sleeping on her own…" Nikki told him sadly, turning back around and pulling as far away from him as she could. Jareth furrowed his brow and pulled her effortlessly to his chest.

"Years of your life down the drain."

Nikki stared at the ground with wide eyes. She had just broken sleeping on a giant stuffed dolphin (a poor replacement for Jarry) a year ago! This was not progress, though truthfully, Nikki really did not mind. She waited for Jareth's breathing to slow to a calm and even pace impatiently. When it had, she slowly turned around and faced him, studying his features. They had not changed in the least; Nikki suddenly felt old and made a 'nya-nya' face at him. Then, without a second thought, buried her face into his chest with a smile, comforted at last.

Suddenly, she felt the arm around her waist tighten. Her eyes widened as she heard Jareth's familiar snicker.

"Apparently you haven't changed_ that_ much," he smirked, kissing the top of her head and tucking it under his chin, "Sweetest dreams, dearest Nikki."

Nikki felt herself blushing, caught again, "Nighty-night," she whispered, and closed her eyes. The smile was hard to hide…


End file.
